'Concert of century' adds second weekend

Los Angeles: Organizers of a mega-concert that will bring together rock legends including The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney on Monday announced they would hold a second weekend.

In an announcement moments before tickets were to go on sale, promoters said that Desert Trip in southern California would take place with identical line-ups on October 7-9 and again October 14-16.

Desert Trip is being run at the same desert venue and by the same promoters as Coachella, one of the world's most lucrative rock festivals which each April takes the same strategy with the artists playing on two consecutive weekends.

Desert Trip said in a statement that it added the second weekend "due to overwhelming demand," with industry watchers expecting tickets to the festival to be among the most sought-after ever.

The concert brings together six legendary rock acts -- The Rolling Stones, Dylan, McCartney, Neil Young, Roger Waters and The Who.

All of the acts easily fill arenas on their own, with crowds consisting both of longtime fans and musical history buffs who wonder how much longer the artists will be on stage.

Desert Trip notably marks the first time that McCartney and Dylan have performed at the same venue. The contemporaries went in separate directions, with McCartney becoming one of history's greatest pop stars with The Beatles and Dylan pursuing his folksy rock.